NATCHEZ — Natchez has a river, a well-developed port, but is lacking one important aspect for industrial development — land.

And that is something that the Natchez-Adams County Economic Development Authority is hoping to change, EDA board chairman Woody Allen said.

“That’s going to be our mission moving forward, once we get this industrial park study done,” Allen said. “I think we’ve identified the problem and now what we need to do is find a solution.”

However, the land the county has — Belwood Country Club — needs development to keep it from flooding before anyone can move on to it. The county does not want to develop the land by adding a levee and infrastructure until an industry is lined up, Allen said.

“You’ve got a cart before the horse kind of deal,” Allen said.

And this creates a problem because industries will general go to a location that is ready for them, as opposed to a place where they may have to wait a year for a levee and infrastructure, Allen said.

“Dollars don’t sit and wait,” he said. “If you’ve got a site in Troy, Ala. that’s got the infrastructure and they can get up and running next week they’ll got to Troy.”

The EDA plans to begin looking at potential property in order to have a detailed plan to give to the county board of supervisors by the end of the year.

However, Adams County Supervisor Darryl Grennell, said he thinks that the county should not purchase any other property until Belwood has been developed.

“I do believe that in order to effectively bring in additional industry, you have to have some sites in place to show to these potential industries,” Grennell said.